Snippitts of Illusions

If it's not racism, then you're just a dick.

Oh, it's been too long since I posted. A general malaise may be to blame, or perhaps the concern that every time I felt like posting I worried that it would turn into a diatribe of anger and angst over my surroundings and a lashing out at people that may or may not rightly deserve to be lashed out against.

Or maybe I'm just lazy.

Perhaps that's it. I don't know. I do know that the first two haven't really gone a way, but sometimes you have to say "fuck it!" and do it anyway.

So here I am.

I'd like to talk to about racism. Don't do it.

Simple isn't it?

Apparently not. I live in a "I'm not racist community." People around here aren't racist, I know because they tell me periodically they are not. Even while posting re-affirming messages on Facebook about how unfair the world is to white people. Or how blacks, hispanics and Native Americans should get over themselves because there isn't really racism any more.

Yeah. I'm pretty astounded by that news too.

You can post something to Facebook that is essentially a white power rant, yet claim to not be racist?

How fucking stupid are you?

I've seen this time and time again. I've come to the conclusion that they don't get it. Most of the individuals I see posting this sort of stuff are local (I won't comment on how many are family members.) There's only one politically powerfully minority in this area and that is the Ute Tribe. A lot of whites around here are unabashedly bigoted towards the entity known as the Ute Tribe, while still maintaining somewhat amiable relationship with individual natives (not all are members of the Ute Tribe). There are Hispanic, and some African American individuals living in the region, but an incredibly small number of the later, and the former are primarily migratory workers.
Most whites around here don't have a point of reference for these cultures, or if they do it's one of popular media and misinformation. So many don't understand just how skewed things are in this country are against non-whites.

Now, I can see some of them reading this and saying that I'm just a reverse racist (putting it in a nice way.) But no, our system is really in favor of white people. Male white people to be specific. It's perhaps hard to understand that when most of your encounters with "the man" have been one of disadvantage. But I suspect if a car full of you and your white friends were to blow through a speed trap the same time a car full of anybody who isn't white blows through the same speed trap you'd get to your destination on time.

All of that is a hard sell though, particularly around here.

I once overheard two men talking in a grocery store I heard "jewed" "nigger" and "spic" during that conversation. A conversation that was as loud as any you'd expect in a grocery store. Older men. Older ways. Perhaps. But I don't see it as an excuse.

Some folks around here would say that I'm just being politically correct.
Well...
Perhaps I am. I mean if political correctness means not using harmful speech (and yes, words can harm) then I am guilty as charge. If political correctness means not disenfranchising an entire group of people with your language, then yes. I suppose I am being politically correct. If politicaly correctness means not stating your mind or your opinion on something? Well fuck you buddy, because I just did. (See, that was a little hurtful wasn't it?)

There's a lot to not being racist...
Ok no there isn't, just don't do it. Stop believing the bullshit your family says, the news says or the leader of your local Klan chapter says. Treat people how you'd like to be treated. And if you believe in "seperate but equal" (and gods there are a lot who seem to) then you're an idiot. How can group be equal if another group has all the power?
There's one thing you can do right now though,  don't use racist speech.
I don't mean just in public, but any time. (If you use it in public then you perhaps have a bigger problem.)
Language informs and influences our thoughts. It should be easy enough to avoid not spouting off derogatory bullshit.

I have a lot more to say on this.

I have a lot to say on many things. Some of it will even be as researched as I can possibly make it.

But until then.

Don't be a dick.

posted by F.G. Shaw @ 9:32 PM